Page 131 of Queen of War and Ruin

That strange expression flickers across Petrys’s face again, and I turn to see Gerard walking up the hill, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“It takes two Vsenrog soldiers to keep watch, huh?” Gerard says.

And then the bastard winks at Petrys. Actually winks. Petrys turns away, but not before I see his cheeks darken.

“Eat shit, Gerard,” I grumble as I pull myself to my feet.

Gerard squints at the valley. “There’s someone coming up the road,” he says in a lower voice.

I spin, then hold my hand up to shade my face.

“Damnit,” I mutter.

Gerard’s right. There’s a thin dust cloud rising above the road. It could be nothing. Travelers, traders, a farmer moving his flock.

Or it could be a patrol from Vsenrog looking for the asshole who broke the ballroom last night.

Gerard claps me on the back, and I flinch.

“Looks like it’s time to go,” he says. “Hey, maybe tomorrow I should be on watch, huh?”

Chapter 66

Lilias

TELL YOUR BROTHER WE’RE ALIVE

“Why are we stopping?” Petrys asks.

I hold my breath to keep from saying anything, but Ebony stiffens and snorts as I tug on her reins. She must know how close I am to screaming at both of them.

Petrys and Gerard have been bickering all night. It’s been hard enough following the rocky stream into the mountains without having to listen to their whispered insults. Now that the moon has set and I’ve been whipped in the face by a hundred different branches, I’m about ready to slap Gerard for acting like a damned toddler. And then I’ll slap Petrys too.

“Because this is the way to Marion,” Gerard replies in a low voice. “Or, what’s left of Marion, at least.”

He waves his hand toward the darkness off to our left, which looks exactly like the darkness to our right. And the darkness ahead of us.

“We aren’t going to Marion,” Petrys replies. His horse snorts and stomps like he’s agreeing with the man.

“Oh?” Gerard asks.

His grin flashes in the thin light. An owl calls above us, and I shiver. The night has gotten colder.

“Where are we going, then?” Gerard demands.

“Dungal,” Petrys says. His voice is low, almost like he’s confessing something.

Gerard laughs. It’s a loud, sharp sound, and it makes me flinch.

“That’s your plan?” Gerard replies. “Dungal? Zarek’s home kingdom? Gods above, that’s the first place they’ll look!”

“Dungal was destroyed,” Petrys snaps.

“Oh, sure it was,” Gerard replies. “And I’m sure you’ve got some sort of hideout in the ruins that no one in Vsenrog would ever think to check when the godsdamned prince of Dungal goes missing.”

“It is not—” Petrys begins.

“Stop it,” Zarek growls. “Both of you. For fuck’s sake.”